Editorial Reviews
Book Description
Bringing together the perspectives of archaeologists, ethnohistorians, and art historians, these tightly integrated case studies highlight the significance of material objects to the study and interpretation of Native North American culture, history, and identity. The authors contend that archaeological remains and ethnographic specimens can, and indeed should, be analyzed in tandem with other sources of historical data (e.g., written texts, oral accounts) to expand our understanding of Native culture change and continuity from the pre-Columbian era through the present.
The essays in this collection begin with concrete, tangible expressions of Native American culture which, in most cases, were made and used to meet basic human needs or to participate in social and religious life. Material objects invite interdisciplinary study because they are a rich source of information about how human societies and social identities were created, reproduced, and transformed. While this volume serves to complement and enhance our historical and cultural understanding of native peoples throughout North America, the theoretical approaches and research methodologies showcased here have implications for studies anywhere people left material traces of their activities, identities, and lives.
About the Author
Michael S. Nassaney, associate professor of anthropology at Western Michigan University, is the editor or coeditor of four books, including The Archaeological Northeast.
Interpretations of Native North American Life: Material Contributions to Ethnohistory (Published in Cooperation With the Society for Historical Archaeology),Michael S. Nassaney,Eric S. Johnson,University Press of Florida,0813017831,Anthropology - General,Archaeology,Archaeology / Anthropology,Ethnic Studies - General,Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies,Ethnic identity,Ethnohistory,Historiography,History,Indians of North America,Material culture,Native American,Native Americans,Sociology
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